Superb Safari Savings

If you’ve ever dreamed about going on safari but figured it was too expensive, think again. Wilderness Safaris’ 6 Countries Summer Special is back and this year its better than ever.

Wilderness Safaris began offering the Six Countries Special a few years ago, to run during the North American winter, and each year it seems to get better and better. Just as the cold of winter sets in and we begin praying for the sun to return, all of a sudden a Southern Africa safari becomes an eminently affordable proposition, in particular for families.

The particulars:

– The special runs from November 10th 2015 until March 20th 2016, and excludes the festive period of December 20th to January 10th.

– There are no single supplements on accommodation.

– Children ages 6 to 16 sharing with adults pay just 50% of the nightly rate.

– All inter camp flying is discounted.

– In Botswana you need a minimum of 6 nights to qualify for the special, in Namibia you need 5, and in all other countries you need 3 or less.

How it works:

I won’t bore you with too much arithmetic, but its worth doing some quick calculations, because savings on the included camps really are quite dramatic. For example, Vumbura Plains is one of Wilderness Safaris premier camps in Botswana. During high season it is $2,366 USD per person per night. During the summer it is usually $1,242 USD per person per night. Booked as part of the special you save an additional 20% per person per night, fully inclusive of all meals and drinks and safari activities. To put that into perspective that’s over 40% savings off the green season cost and over 70% off the high season price.

In Namibia, the new – and frankly wonderful –  Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp is around $950 USD per person per night (depending on exchange rates) in high season and usually $640 USD during Africa’s summer. With the special you save a further 20% per person per night. Hoanib pairs incredibly well with the remote and quite superb Serra Cafema, way up in the north near Namibia’s border with Angola. Depending on exchange rates It is usually over $1,100 USD per person per night in high season. With the 6 countries special you save nearly 40% per person per night.

So putting this all together, a six night trip with 3 nights each at Hoanib Skeleton Coast and Serra Cafema would save you over 50% over the high season rates.

You may be thinking that summer isn’t a good time to go on safari, but the rumour is simply not true. You get all the game and none of the crowds, as regions like the Kalahari and Namibia are transformed by the rains from desert moonscapes into lush meadows, and become magnets for plains game and for their attendant predators. Linkwasha in Hwange boasts some truly spectacular game densities at this time of year, as the open plains sport new grass growth that acts as magnets for herbivores, followed closely by hungry predators. Simply put, prices in peak season are driven by demand (Africa’s winter is when everyone in North America and Europe has the most time off ), not by the quality of the experience that you can have.

In just one trip you could go from Zimbabwe and seeing the mighty elephant herds of Hwange,  while staying at Little Makaolo, to the heart of the Okavango Delta in Botswana, admiring the view from the deck of the recently redone Kwetsani Camp, before finally ending your trip with a huge splash at the fantastic Serra Cafema Camp, way up the wilds of Northern Namibia.

While there is a lot of choice and a myriad of ways to combine camps and experiences, the offer is subject to availability and the early bird gets the worm as they say. Book early and book often.

Dan is foolishly working as an Africa planner for Trufflepig instead of taking his safari photography straight to National Geographic. If you need a hand organizing some travel details of your own just give him a shout.